About this event
Counseling and Mental Health Services Challenge is an objective test on human development, mental health disorders, therapeutic communication, social and cultural factors, foundations of counseling, intervention strategies, crisis management and community resources. FCCLA names Goodheart-Willcox's Counseling and Mental Health Services as the curriculum behind it. The Challenge Tests are individual, open to every affiliated member, and need no state qualifying. Each test runs at four levels: Level 1 through grade 8, Level 2 grades 9 and 10, Level 3 grades 11 and 12, and Level 4 postsecondary. A member must be affiliated and registered for the conference or event where they test. Students take them online in the fall, October 19 to November 20, 2026 (registration closed October 9), and again in person at the National Leadership Conference, where a student may take up to ten tests and may retake a test taken in the fall. The publisher Goodheart-Willcox presents the tests, and Sullivan University gives the national Level 3 top 3 in each test scholarships of $10,000, $5,000 and $3,000 toward a related degree there. The fall's first, second and third places are listed on FCCLA's website with a digital certificate; national winners also get a printed certificate at their state's recognition session, and everyone who tests can download a digital participation certificate from the advisor portal.
FormatObjective Test
Duration50 questions, half true or false and half multiple choice (2026 format, not yet confirmed for 2026-27)
Solo or teamIndividual
CategoryChallenge Test
Your plan
How to study
Built from the official subject areas. Take the check and read every lesson here with no account; a free account keeps your progress and opens flashcards, practice and full tests.
Find your weakest area
Take the 8-question check below: one question from each of the 8 areas. It tells you where to start.
Start the checkLearn every area
Every subject area FCCLA lists for this test is below. Each has a short lesson, flashcards and practice, plus free reading.
See the areasPractice until every bar is full
Practice gives you one question at a time and leans toward the areas you miss. Your readiness meter fills as you get them right in every area.
PracticeTake a full-length test
50 questions, last season's length. Your readiness meter counts your last 3 full tests from the past 30 days, and 90% fills each one.
Take a practice test
The areas of the test
Human development
Mental health disorders
Therapeutic communication
Social and cultural factors
Foundations of counseling
Intervention strategies
Crisis management
Community resources
Start here
Find your weakest area
8 questions, one from each of the areas of the Counseling and Mental Health Services Challenge test. Each one is graded the moment you answer, with the reason, and the last screen tells you which area to study first. No account needed.
Test day
What to expect
50 questions
Official format: 50 questions, half true or false and half multiple choice (2026 format, not yet confirmed for 2026-27).
Practice on the same areas
Practice questions here cover the event's topic areas, as true or false and four-choice questions. A practice test is half true or false, then half four-choice, the split last season's test had. FCCLA's full guidelines are for members, so check the details with your advisor.
How you advance
There is no regional or state round to qualify through. Members take the test online in the fall (October 19 to November 20, 2026) and in person at the National Leadership Conference (NLC), and may take the same test both times.
Test format
- Questions50, last season's format
- IndividualSolo event
Where you take it: Online in the fall, and in person at the National Leadership Conference
Official reference books
Listed on FCCLA's public Challenge Tests page. Your school or public library may have it.
- Goodheart-Willcox, Counseling and Mental Health Services
Guidelines and resources
Bookmark to saveCurated by ChapterPrep. Free unless noted. External links open in a new tab.